The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-12-31
BLIND BOYS PLAY BALL.

American Teacher, says: "When
l was in Louisville, KY, a while
ago, visited the Institution for
the Blind While walking across
the grounds l saw some boys under
the trees playing with a ball and
bat. l asked, What boys are those"
'They are blind boys said the su-
perintendent. But, what are they
doing?' said l, thinking there must
be some mistake. When he told
me that the blind boys regularly
played ball l could hardly believe
him, and begged that l might be
allowed to see them play. He said
the boys would play after dinner
for my special benefit. l spent the
morning in the school and work
rooms of the blind boys and girls,
and l saw a great many wonderful
things. One of the strangest of ali
was a kindergarten with blind pu-
pills. They were making figures or
patterns from a copy by putting
plugs in holes. The plugs and
square or round blocks on their
onds. But l set out to tell about
the baseball not the kindergarten.
80 will skip the dinner and take
you out under the trees where the
game is to be played. Five or six
of the best players were to play.
and l believe that all but two OF
them were stone blind. The two
could only see large objects, like
the trunk of a tree, man or a
gravel walk. do not think they
could see ball OH the ground or
in the air.
"They took turns at the bat, and
each one was anxious to make his
bases. Their way Of pitching and
catching was this: The pitcher
stood about six PAGES from the bat
ter, while the catcher sat squarely
on the ground Immediately behind
the bat. When all were ready the
pitcher would count, 'One, two,
three and gently toss the ball.
The batter would at just the proper
moment, swing his bat, and the
catcher would spread out his hands
and feet to stop the ball. He seemed
to hear the ball as it passed the
batter (and it generally did } and
struck the ground, and it was most
surprising to see him catch it in his
arms on the first bound, and yet
perfectly blind! If he failed to
stop the ball he would pursue it on
his hands and feet as spry as dog
and almost as keen on its track
Either he could hear the ball roll
along the grass or he could judge
from the nature Of the surface and
the known speed of the ball just
how it would roll. His hands would
sweep the ground with great rapid
ity, and when he had the ball ht
would jump on his feet and rusl
for the home base.
with the exception OF the nome
base, all the bases were trunks O
large shade trees. / was astonished
to see how rapidly the boys could
run. They just flew over the ground
making great stamping on ths
smooth earth, until they were with
i'm five or six feet of base and
then they would feel up to it. No
once did they run against a tree
though it made me shudder to Sc,
how near they came to doing SO.
suppose they knew when they wer'
near a tree by hearing the echo o
their steps. Occasionally the batte
would make a good hit; then al
hands but the runner went in search
of the ball. AS soon as he hat
made his run he would join in thu
hunt. They always started off II
the right direction, and did no
hunt in each others tracks. One
the superintendent helped then
find a ball that went some hit.
yards, but generally they found j
themselves. Though this game wa
played for my benefit, the we'll wor'
turf gave abundant proof of tn
= e.